Second-Generation Vampires (V2s) — PC

What is it that draws an ancient vampire to a mortal and drives them to sire a new vampire from the weak human form before them? The answer is as diverse and mystifying as all questions of existence. There is no rhyme or reason to the kinds of people the ancients choose to invite into their world of shadow and blood. One certainty is that those who are less willing to play the part the ancients have chosen for them will find a difficult path ahead while those who do what they’re told will be rewarded.

Second-generation Vampires (V2s OOCly, sometimes called “Newvie” ICly) are much like the vampires of the stories we’ve heard growing up: humans who have been turned into blood-drinking monsters who will live forever unless killed in a few specified ways. They look more human than their creators, retaining their mortal appearance with a few distinctions: 1) their pupils are red, 2) they have longer canine teeth than the average human, and 3) they are generally paler due to a lack of sunshine.

The V2s, like their creators, must feed on fresh blood, though they can also intake other substances such as alcohol and drugs; anything solid turns to ash in their mouth and any non-blood food does not offer actual sustenance. They need about a pint of blood a day to survive, though they would feel unsated with less than three. Direct sunlight will burn them, though at a slower rate than the Ancients; where as an Ancient will burn to death in five minutes, it would take a V2 ten minutes or so; thus a mad dash through the sun is possible, but it will be extremely painful and the V2 will be running blind, as they cannot see in sunlight. Like the ancients, they can be killed with a wooden stake to the heart, beheading, or fire. They cannot heal wounds caused by burns or impaling by wood; these wounds will heal at a “normal” or human rate. If they have self healing as an ability, all other wounds will heal in double-time (i.e. a cut that would take a week to heal would take 3.5 days). They can also starve to death.

Like their ancient makers, the V2s are not inherently evil; these humans do not lose all sense of themselves when they become a vampire. Some stay basically the same person, only with new powers and a new diet, while others let the change twist them into something else. Power can corrupt.

V2s cannot sire new vampires.

V2s are gifted with three abilities from the following list at a +6 (whereas all ancients have all of the gifts at 7-8):

Superhuman speed: The ability to move faster than is humanly possible in short bursts. A vampire with this ability could move 20 feet in two seconds. This ability could be used five times in a scene before the vampire would need to replenish his energy.

Spiderwalking: The ability to walk on walls and ceilings like a spider. Requires some degree of concentration, so falling unconscious or asleep will mean falling.

Night Vision: The ability to see well in the dark without equipment. This ability is limited to the normal distance range of vision for a human. Dark objects are harder to see than light ones. Cannot see someone using Shadow Cloak. Can be temporary disabled by bright lights in the eyes; will take 20 minutes or so to return to full power.

Shadow Cloak: The ability to wrap one’s self in shadows, becoming indiscernible from real shadows. Shining a bright light on the area will reveal the hider as the shadows are reduced. ||

Narcotic Bite: A vampire with this ability can “drug” their victim to make them less resistant; the victim feels relaxed, feels no pain, and does not fight back. It will take an hour for the “high” to wear off. Many bites of this kind in a short period of time can lead to an overdose.

Hypnotic Stare: A vampire with this ability is able to mesmerize a victim through eye contact, making them easy to attack. The effect wears off ten seconds after eye contact is broken, though it’s impossible for the victim to look away on their own volition while mesmerized. The victim can only speak if the vampire asks them a direct question (though the victim can lie; they are not compelled to speak the truth, unless Faerie); movement is otherwise minimal and stationary.

Self Healing: The ability to heal one’s own wounds except those caused by specific items (relative to class). The healing rate is twice as fast as it would be for a human. Vampires cannot heal burns by fire or sunlight, or wounds caused by wood, a werewolf's teeth or claws, or another vampire's bite.

Emotional Vampirism: A vampire with this ability can supplement or supplant his diet by feeding off extremely strong feelings in his victims. The victim will be drained of the emotion, whether good or ill, and feel “flat” and apathetic for 12 hours after such a feeding. A vampire surviving mostly on emotional feedings will still need blood at least once a week. A vampire surviving mostly on emotional feedings will still need blood at least once a week. The vampire needs to be within 10 feet of his (single) target to feed in about 30 minutes, or can feed within 5 minutes of sustained skin-to-skin contact. The longer he goes without, the more hungry he will feel.

Supernatural Sense: This is the ability to sense something that normal humans would not (e.g. to smell a lie, taste fear, or feel danger present. This will need to be described in character generation and approved.

In addition, V2s can be gifted beyond human ability (to a +6) in three of the following skills:

Might

Athletics

Endurance

Discipline

Deceit

Stealth

Otherworld Vampires — NPC only

The pure vampires have been crossing the borders between the Otherworld and the mundane for centuries, and much of what was once thought to be mere fantasy is true. They feed on the blood or emotions of mortals, giving the vampires an ageless existence unless killed permanently by a wooden stake to the heart, fire, beheading, or sunlight. Their origin is a mystery to mortals and has not been passed down to the mortals they choose to sire into a diluted image of themselves, but there seems to be a finite number now that the Otherworld no longer exists. Their numbers have dwindled and continue to do so with every death of a true vampire; this is why they choose to make lesser vampires out of the humans in our world and have done so for centuries — even prior to the Breach.

An ancient vampire has more powerful abilities than those of the creatures they create; they can shapeshift into creatures or shadows in addition to a mastery of all of the abilities the new generation boast (Each ancient can use every vampire ability at 7-8, while a new-generation vampire can only have three abilities and each at a level 6).

Long before the Breach, the vampires began investing in silver and silver mining due to its ability to harm their natural enemies, the werewolves; since the Breach, the price of silver has risen and made the vampires very wealthy thanks to the wide use of the metal in so many industries. Wealth means power, so the vampire have a strong grip on many people in high places, either from their lobbying or straight out bribes, or worse yet, blackmail. While the majority of mundane denizens aren’t ready for a Fey leader, even one of human blood, money talks; the politicians themselves may be mortal, but sometimes their loyalties lie elsewhere.

The ancient vampires look human on a superficial level, though they are not the beautiful, elegant monsters of Hollywood. They can be identified by their pasty white skin, a mouthful of sharp teeth, and blood-red eyes. Many wear sunglasses even in the night, perhaps to temper their unsettling appearance. The ancients will burn in direct sunlight, though it isn’t instantaneous — it might would take five minutes or so before they are burnt completely. They can be killed by wooden stakes to the heart, beheading or fire; they instantly heal most wounds except impaling by wood or burns (by sunlight or fire). These wounds take twice as long as the normal human healing process. They cannot eat anything other than fresh blood, though this can be from any creature other than another vampire.

An ancient can create a weaker vampire only out of a true mortal; faerie and werewolves, either first-generation or second, cannot be turned. To do so, an ancient drains the mortal to the brink of death and then allows the nearly dead mortal to drink his own blood. The reasons for doing so may be whim or strategy; most often the ancient has little to do with his own “child” after making them and feels no special bond toward them. While there are no official rules governing the creation of new vampires, the master, or Rex, of a given area may question another ancient if he or she feels that vampire is creating too many of the new breed. The ancients do not wish the newer generation to outnumber them, after all.

Unlike the vampires of movie lore, these ancients are not inherently cruel. Prior to the Breach, they merely saw mortals as prey, much like a hunter would see a deer — a lesser being that is part of its food chain. Since the Breach, it is unlawful for a vampire to kill, and many instead find willing participants or use one of the blood banks set up for their use. That isn’t to say that people aren’t killed. Some vamps don’t like to play by the rules and many don't believe the "mortal" code applies to them.

Vampire "Rules"

Myths, films, books, and television shows have "rules" about what vampires can and can't do. Here is a quick list for how these apply to our vampires, V2 and Otherworld respectively. Some are covered above and some are not.

Garlic

No effect on either V2 or OW vampires.

Holy water or crosses

Only if borne by a character with Conviction of 4 or higher, these will cause either a V2 or an OW vampire to temporarily drop 2 points in strength for the duration of the scene or GM's discretion.

Wooden stake

Through the heart is an instant kill for either V2 or OW vampires. Anywhere else is painful and takes time to heal, cannot be healed with Self Heal. Sadly, vampires don't turn to dust and there is a body left to get rid of.

Sunshine

Blinding to both; V2s will incinerate in about 10 minutes and OW five. In this case, there is no body left but a pile of ash. Prior to incineration, the vamp will catch fire and suffer burns as if from fire.

Fire

Can kill both. Burns from fire, like injuries wood, cannot be Self-Healed.

Mirrors

V2s have a reflection but OW vampires do not.

Invitations

Both V2s and OWs need an invitation to cross the threshold of a home. This is somewhat loosely defined. A dorm building could be entered but an individual dorm room could not without express invitation by one of the residents. A backroom of a shop being used as an apartment could not be entered, but the shop itself could be. Without an invitation, there is an invisible barrier. If an invitation is rescinded, the vampire will suddenly find himself transported to outside of the home.

Blood intake

The blood must be no more than an hour "old" (removed from the body). Vampires can get by on animal blood but will be chronically hungry, despite how much they drink, if they do not take human blood.